Not gonna lie I really thought the Oilers were a lock in Game 2. After a G1 where anyone with eyes and a brain knew they dominated the action, the Oilers came into a road Game 2 as a virtual pick’em. Backers (like me) had to be feeling good after they took a 1-0 lead into the 2nd period, despite not controlling the action like Game 1. The Panthers were able to scratch one across to pull back to a tie in Game 2.
Then Even Rodrigues happened.
In a funky play, Rodrigues centers the puck only to have it sent back to him by Edmonton’s Bouchard…seemingly embarrassed, Rodriges flings the puck at the net for it to find twine and a 2-1 Florida lead. I think the celebration even spoke to it catching E-Rod off guard.
But that wasn’t enough, E-Rod couldn’t just give the Panthers the lead he had to bury McDavid and Draisaitl (and Sabres fans watching hopelessly 1600 miles away?)
Credit to E-Rod on this play, worked to get himself in position and a nasty tipperoo past Skinner to basically put this game on ice.
So there you have it, barring some craziness in the middle/2H of this series, Evan Rodrigues will be the latest former Sabre to ascend to Stanley Cup Playoff stardom. With that said, are the Penguins mad they didn’t keep him? Are the Avalanche mad they didn’t keep him? Well, Sabres Twitter don’t forget.
Even a Mike Harrington request: